ARAKSHI FF - Chalte Chalte - IMP NOTE on Page 48 - Page 4

Chapter 5 - The Lost Friend

"Oh my God! Are you serious?"

"Yeahh! I found him!"

"Oh my God this is amazing Sakshi! Does he know it is you? Did he recognize you?"

"Slow down Neha! No he didn't," she replied with a sigh, "I only recognised him because I knew his full name. He never knew my full name. So I don't expect him to recognise me. Also, it has been 15 years. It is too long a time."

It felt so good to be talking to her best friend about all this. She was the only one who knew about Arjun and that she had actually gone back for him. She suddenly missed her best friend. Neha had become her best chum after Arjun, and now that she didn't have either of them with her, it left her feeling a tad bit lonely.

"So... are you going to tell him?"

She paused, lost in thought. Should she? And then she smiled and replied, "Nah! I am going to let him find out himself. I want him to recognise me. I don't want to tell him that his Meethi is back. I want him to know. Plus, I do think he feels something already, he just doesn't know what. I could see it in his eyes."

"Awww. I really hope that happens soon for you. I want you to be happy."

Sakshi smiled. She knew he would recognise her one day. And that day wasn't far.

***

Arjun was at his desk, looking through a case file when he was startled by that voice again.

"Hi Arjun!"

She was standing in front of him, grinning ear to ear. Here we go again. He thought she spoke way too much. A person doesn't really need to talk that much. It annoyed him. On the other hand, her voice had the ability to calm him. He shook himself, angry that he was actually thinking about her! Arjun, he said to himself, get a grip on yourself!

"Kya hai?" He looked up, with an irritated expression on his face. For some odd reason, his mouth twitched as he looked at her. As if to smile.

"Kya kar rahe ho?" She dragged a chair, sat on it and started tapping herfingers on the table - her bangles making that annoying sound on the glass.

"Tumhe dikhayi nahi de raha ya dekh ke bhi andekha kar rahi ho?" His eyes went back to the file.

"Main toh conversation start karne ki koshish kar rahi thi. Woh kya haina...ki tum baat bahut kam karte ho." She winked at him.

She winked?

Shocked and confused at what to say, he replied "Aur tum kuch zyada hi bolti ho." She had been here a week and already he found it difficult to be around her.

Why was he even speaking to her? Why did he actually want to listen to her useless gossip? Was something wrong with him? This has never happened before. Cursing himself for thinking about her again, he slammed his file on the table and got up.

"Mujhe aur bhi bahut kaam hai Sakshi. For a change, jaake kuch kaam karlo, kyunki mere paas faltu cheezon ke liye time nahi hai."

Before leaving, he briefly looked into her eyes. For a moment, something felt vaguely familiar. It seemed as if her eyes could drown out all his pain and guilt. For a moment, he felt happy just by looking into her eyes.

***

As he looked at her, her heart started racing. This is it. He knows her. She could see it in his eyes. She could feel it. She her skin tingled as his eyes bore into her. So much of pain. She still didn't know what had happened in all these years, but she could feel that it had been something horrible. She knew Arjun was living with some sort of a guilt. And that guilt was crushing him. She felt an immediate urge to go and hug him, take away all his pain. Before it was too late and he was lost forever. She couldn't see him like this. She wanted her old Arjun back. She wanted him to call her Meethi again and joke with her, tease her, even fight with her! She needed to do something to bring him back. Before he lost himself.

Arjun, she tried to converse with her eyes, it is me, your Meethi. Come back to me, please.

He didn't hear her, or was he afraid of doing so? Because, he did the thing that the Arjun she knew would never had done. Turned around and walked away.

***

What was happening to him? Why did he feel like telling her everything? Of all that had happened in his life and taken away his love from him? About Roshni, about how he had lost her... forever. He was too afraid to love now, to even look into someone's eyes. He didn't want to fall in love with someone and lose her all over again.

***

"Aisha! Mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai", Sakshi poked her new best friend.

Aisha looked up from her computer screen and said, "Haan bolo?"

"Woh... Arjun ke baare mein."

"Marwayegi kya?" She looked around frantically and whispered, "Yahan nahi. Sir ne sun liya toh band baj jayegi. Chal caf chalte hai. Wahan baat karenge."

"Ok done," she flashed her signature smile.

The caf was located right outside the ETF office, a place where Sakshi usually grabbed a cosy corner and wrote her articles. The past week had been quite hectic for her. New cases - all eye-openers - and hence she had had plenty to write. Moreover, after her first article was published in the paper on Wednesday, she actually got a few good comments from Rathod sir and the DIG himself! People seemed to be liking her work! Of course, she hadn't expected Arjun to comment on her article - he had been avoiding her most of the week. And she knew why. He needed to stop running. And she needed to know what had happened in his past.

"Haan pooch kya poochna hai."

They both settled down with a coffee and Sakshi asked, "Why is he like this? I mean, na kabhi ache se baat karta hai, na woh kabhi smile karta hai. Mere jokes pet oh Rathod sir bhi hanste hai yaar."

Aisha lowered her head and sighed. Her face looked grim when she looked up.

She was right. Something really horrifying must have happened.

She listened as Aisha poured out Arjun's past. About his wife Roshni whom he had loved with all his heart,and who had been taken away from him - brutally murdered in front of Arjun, by this big gang leader called Sikandar. She learnt that Arjun had once killed Sikandar's brother in a terror attack at a shopping mall and that since then Sikandar had wanted revenge from him. And so, while Roshni had been waiting for Arjun to come home on their second anniversary, Sikandar had broken in and had waited for Arjun to come home before murdering her - in front of him.

Sakshi closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek. The pain was unimaginable. To have witnessed a loved one's death in front of him? She shuddered at the thought of what he must have gone through. What must he put himself through every day. Feeling that he was the reason for Roshni's death. She wanted to tell him, it wasn't your fault. Loving someone isn't a crime. Her heart felt constricted. She could feel his pain.

"Sakshi, tum theek ho?"

She wiped a tear from her eye and said, "Haan. So, kya hua Sikandar ka?"

She felt rage boiling up inside her. She wanted him dead. Now.

"Woh mar chuka hai."

She jolted with surprise. It must have shown on her face, because Aisha poured out the story of Arjun's encounter with Sikandar, how he had hunted him down and then...killed him.

She heard how Arjun hadn't been able to return back to the ETF for weeks after that. But he seemed to have lost himself somehow. Aisha voiced what she had felt when she first saw him.

"It is like he is empty now Sakshi. He had something to live for all these days - to avenge the death of his wife. But now, it is like he has no more reason left to live. It feels like he is waiting for someone to bring him back."

She could feel her fists tightening and then loosening. She fought the urge to go and talk to Arjun now. She now understood. But no, now was not the right time. She wanted him to get back to normal at his own pace.

"Don't worry Aisha. He will be back... and soon."

As Aisha stared at her with a puzzled expression, Sakshi smiled.

"I will bring you back Arjun." She promised herself. "You will soon find your lost friend."

Chapter 6 - The Gift

It was nearly midnight. Sakshi was sitting at her desk in her room. Her fingers were playing with the lamp switch. Off, on, off on. Arjun's past kept playing in her head and she could only see his pained expression. She wouldn't be able to sleep today. She turned off her light and the entire room was enveloped in darkness. The clock struck midnight and she sighed. Happy Birthday Sakshi, she wished herself. For the first time in 15 years she was so close to him on her birthday, and yet so far. She wondered if he even remembered anymore.

***

The entire ETF office was empty. Except for one person. He sat at his desk staring at a photo which he kept carefully hidden in his wallet.

"Happy Birthday Meethi. Aj teri bahut yaad aa rahi hai, pata nahi kyun."

The little girl and boy stared back at him from the photo, flooding his mind with memories. He wondered where she was, what was she doing right now? Did she remember him anymore? Or was he a lost memory, like that boy in the picture. He didn't even remember what he was like back then. It seemed like the boy in the photo was a completely different person.

Mumbai 1997 - same time and same day

Sakshi paced around in her room. Her lights were off but she could see everything because of the moonlight shining through her window. She constantly kept glancing at the clock and then out the window. Where was he? He was never late! It was 12.10. 10 minutes late! HMPH. She was so mad. She was definitely NOT speaking to him ever again. She crossed her arms and settled on her desk. Seriously where was he?

She couldn't sleep yet. What if he came and she was asleep. For the past two years he had always come at 12 and they had gone to the terrace they loved so much. He always got something for her. Most of all, he always remembered. So what happened this time?

It was 1.15 now. Sakshi had settled in her bed with a book. But she couldn't really concentrate on the story when her mind was on Arjun. How could he forget? They hadn't even had a fight. Suddenly, a thought made her sit upright. What if he had wanted to come but somehow couldn't? Like, what if he was really ill? Or fell down somewhere? Or worse, what if his dad had locked him in his room? She panicked at the thought and decided to get out of bed. She knew where his bedroom was - on the ground floor. If she could somehow get to his window and check on him, she would be much more at peace! And so, she went - down the stairs and through the front door. She tiptoed across his garden, being extra careful of dry leaves, so as not to make a noise. And finally, she was outside his window.

***

He had heard her come to his window. He sniggered and slipped into his bed pulling the covers over his head. He was going to make her think he forgot. Under the covers he ran his fingers over the bracelet he had bought the other day - saving up all his lunch money had been hard! But, he knew it was worth it. He could feel her peeking through his window and smiled to himself. Too bad Meethi, this time you have to wait.

***

Fuming with rage she had gone back into her room and into bed. She promised herself not to talk to him ever again!

The bell rang, signaling the end of school. Sakshi picked up her bag and walked towards the school gate, to board her bus.

And there he was waiting outside her school. She promptly ignore him and walked right past, flinging her long hair back.

"Oye! Ruk toh jaa." He ran after her and stood blocking her way.

"Hato raaste se."

"Kya hua?"

"Mujhe tumse koi baat nahi karni. Hato" She tried to push him aside.

"Gussa hai?"

"Maine kaha na koi baat nai karni?" She shouted at him.

He burst out laughing, annoying her even more.

Now, she turned and ran the other way. Of course, he followed.

As they reached the main road and he pulled her towards him, saving her from a speeding bike.

He had forgotten her birthday, she was not going to forgive him that easy. She turned and started walking again.

"Chal theek hai. Baat nahi sunti toh mujhe hi kuch karna padega."

She stopped, clutching her books to herself.

He came closer to her, grabbed her hairband and ran away towards her school again. That did it.

"Arjunnn! Wapas do!" She ran after him.

They kept running until they had crossed her school and reached Arjun's cycle.

"Yeh chahiye toh mere saath chal."

"Kahaan?"
"Phir sawaal? Tu bahut bolti hai yaar. Chalna."

He swung his legs around the cycle, and patted the seat in front of him.

She had no other choice but to go and sit in front of him.

They soon wheeled into a little park - trees were towering up all around them and the grass was not visible at all. What she could see, was a carpet of white flowers. He had remembered that she loved white flowers.

Sakshi gasped at the beautiful sight and got off the cycle. There didn't seem to be anyone around. Birds were chirping in the trees around her and there was a light breeze. It all seemed so peaceful and quiet.

When she turned around to face him, she was smiling. Her anger had evaporated.

"Happy Birthday Meethi," he smiled at her.

"Mujhe laga tumhe yaad nahi hai."

"Main kaise bhool sakta hoon? Acha, close your eyes."

This time, she closed them without questioning why.

"Apna haath aage de."

Her eyes closed shut, she stretched out her hand and could soon feel the coldness of a metal against her skin.

When she opened her eyes, she could see the glittering rainbow in her hand. The sunlight was playing around in the little crystals of the bracelet. It was the most beautiful thing she had seen in her life. She hugged it against herself and said, "Wow! Thank you Arjun!"

Jumping up and down with happiness, she hugged him tight.

For that moment, everything was so perfect. Sakshi was in her happy little bubble, oblivious to her surroundings.

***

Yes! All those skipped lunches had been worth it. Just for this smile of hers. He wished he could just keep her smile bottled with him and wear it like perfumes. It made him so happy. He had spent days on his cycle looking for this place - he knew she loved flowers, especially white ones and he didn't know of any place where there would be lots of them. And then one day, while returning from school via a different route, he had come across this little isolated garden. It had seemed abandoned, and yet - perfect.

They shared a chocolate lying down on the flowers and staring up at the blue sky peeping now and then through the green leaves of the tree. White clouds floated by. They giggled and rolled around on the grass, talking about their school teachers, mimicking them.

He felt like he could spend an eternity there, under that tree, with her. Talking about all sorts of random things, or even just lying there side by side, staring up at clouds floating by.

***

Mumbai 2013, Next morning

Arjun sat at his usual place on the long table. They were discussing the details of a recent case - a murder that had taken place at an abandoned hotel. He kept playing with his pen, like he usually did, trying to concentrate on the case.

But his eyes kept wandering towards the door - where was she?

"Rawte," Rathod barked at him, "Main kuch dino se dekh raha hoon tum kaafi distracted ho. Baat kya hai?"

He looked up, and answered in an angry tone, "Aisi koi baat nahi hai. Main humesha se apne kaam ko seriously lete aya hoon aur aj bhi, I am quite focused."

"Lo yeh dono phir start ho gaye," Shree whispered to Chotu.

"Haan yaar. Waise baat toh Rathod sir ne sahi pakdi hai." He smirked at Shree and signaled him to look at Arjun.

Arjun was staring at the door for the umpteenth time.

Shree sniggered at the sight.

"Yeh tum dono kya khusar phusar kar rahe ho? Kaam pe dhyaan do"Aisha had now looked up from her file.

"Yaar, hume yakeen nahi ho raha ke Arjun baba jaisa koi kisi ka intezaar kar raha hai." Shree gestured Aisha to look at Arjun, whose head seemed to be in the file, but eyes were again, on the door.

Aisha understood and smiled. "Lagta hai Sakshi ka intezaar ho raha hai", she said in a low voice, trying hard to control her laugh.

Chotu and Shree looked at each other and then pretended to drop something so they could get under the desk and laugh.

The door swung open and she entered. The first set of eyes that landed on her was of course, his own. For a moment he stared at her, his breath caught at the sight of her.

A very old memory propped into his mind.

"Arjun tumhara favourite colour kya hai?"

"Blue. Sky wala blue", he had answered her with a smile.

She was dressed in a sky blue kurti and jeans, her dark hair falling past her shoulders. Her bangles clashed against the glass door as she hurried in.

"Sorry sorry sorry! Bahut traffic tha, isliye late hoon."

Arjun shook himself, immersed himself in the file again and said, "Agli baar se late ho toh aana hi mat."

"Arre yaise kaise nahi aati? Tumhe phir tang kaun karta? After all, mere alawa no one is capable of making you laugh!" She grinned at him and took a seat right next to him.

Great. Now he would have to tolerate her throughout the meeting. He pretended to ignore her and went on to discuss the details of the case. But somehow, her presence right beside him made it a little difficult for him to concentrate on what he wanted to say.

So, he got up and moved away.

***

She smiled at his behaviour. She knew he had started feeling her presence. She had seen him glancing up at the door when she was about to enter. She knew he had been waiting for her. She had blushed a little when he had stared at her. His gaze was so strong.

Just when it felt like he was about to talk to her, he buried himself in the file again.

****************************************

Sooo, how was it? I know it doesnt have much about the other ETF members but its not a very long story and so i just want to focus on Arakshi 😳

Please do leave your comments good and bad...hope it wasnt too boring or long 😳